Panel board



July 19, 1927.

R. a. ,BENJAMIN PANEL BOARD -Filed June 14. 1920 A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,Irvent'or 'i 'July 19, 1927.

R. B. BENJAMIN PANEL, BOARD Filed June 14. 19.20

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (lli l Il U may be connected to form Patented July 19, 1927. c

c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

` REUBEN IB. BENJAMIN, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T0 BENJAMIN' ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

PANEL BOARD.

Application led June 14, 1920. `'Serial No. 388,830.

My invention relates to panel boards,hav ingparticular relation to panel boards which are used in residences or other smalli buildings, and has for its object to provide den vices of the character designated which shall embody in a small space all of the re uisite elements, whereby ka number ol brano e cir cuits may be derived from main bus-bars.

For a better understanding of my invenin tion reference 1 may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of lone base section anda portion of another base section embodying my invention, .the manner in which the bases are made interchangeable and standard being illustrated; c,

v Figs. 2 and 3 yare elevational, Asectional views of the first mentioned base section of Fig. l, takenon `lines Q-j-Q and 3 3 respectively; Y

Fi 4;,is a plan view ofabase section whic is interchangeable with the sections shown in Fig. land which embodies switchin elements as wellas receptacles; andk Figs. 5 and 6 are elevational, sectionalv views `ot the base section shown in Fig. 4, taken on the lines 55 and 64-6, respectively.

The primary object ,of` myA invention, as`

above intimated, isto provide insulating base sections `having bus-bars attached therei to and embodying appropriate fuse receptacles whereby branch circuits may be `derived from thevbus-bars.V ,In this connection, I

$6 also provide :means whereby different characteristics may be imparted to the base sections, but whereby they arev all oit' a standard size and interchangeable one with the other. If desired, a number of saidsections a composite panel bQr-d .f @f

As will hereinafter appear, Iriinpart additional advantages to base sections' constructed in accordance with my invention,

l5 bylmlaking thel center contacts of the recep' tacles mounted thereupon integrally with the bus-bars to which lthey arel adapted to connect predetermined branch circuits. By

so constructing an insulating basev section '50 embodying receptacles, a `minimum number of parts are employed, and moreover, the contact resistance Vbetween l various elements is reduced to a minimum. lllurtherxnore,4 in connection with the hereinafter described insulating base I provide shell contacts which are constructed in a lnovel manner to em? body outwardl projecting flanged portions and wherein t e body ortion is of consid'- erably shorter len h t an in those heretofore employed. his last provision results in a considerable saving of material in comparison with the shell and center contacts which have heretofore been embodied in re` ceptacles whichwere employed in an analogous relation.

In forming a base section embodying switching mechanism, I provide a novelshaped member which integrally embodies a center contact for the receptacle and a pole for the switching means used. The other pole of the switching means is formed integrally with a conductin` member which Ais attached to the bus-bar 'rom which it is desired to derive thek circuit connected to the receptacle in question.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings-insulating base members 1 and Q are shown, in Fig. 1, as forming Tportions `of a composite panel board. v'ree bus-bars, 3, 4: and 5 respectively,'are positioned in substantially parallel relation on the base 1, while corresponding `hns-bars 6, 7 and 8 'are associated withv the base 2, the buses 3 ando, 4 and 7, and 5v and 8, respectively, being connected together at their ends by means of cooperating screwreceivng notches 9, 10 and l1, and securing means 12, `13 and 14, as shown, (this relationship may be better' observed in Fig. 4)

Mounted on the base l are receptacles l5,

16, 17 and 18, each embodying a shellfcontact 19 and center contact V20,-it beingiobserved,

by referenceto Fig. 2, that the center'conf* tacts'() are integral ortions of the bus-bar 5 vand that the shel contacts 19 are considerably shorter than usual and ,are provided with outwardly projecting `flange portions'V $21 and; 22 which are utilized to secure the receptacles to the leads of branchy line circuits, indicated atF 23e-23. These leads are connected to the shell contacts as shown, while the other leads 2li- 24 of thel branch line circuits are connected to the centrally disposed bus-bars 4, the latter leads being disposed in depressed portions 25 formed in the base l. It will be further noted that the centrally disposed and, as I have assumed for purposes of illustration, neutral, busbar 4,-. is positioned on the under side of the base 1 and that connection therewith is made between the leads 24 and the bus 4 through contacting members 26.

Referring now to Figs. 4, and 6, the manner in which I embody switching means in a base member, interchangeable with the A bases heretofore described, is illustrated.

All of the elements, with the exception of switching means 27, are designated as hereinbefore. These switching means comprise conducting arms 28l and 29 carrying clip ortions 30 and 3l, respectively, the latter lieing adapted to en'age switch-poles 32 and 33, respectively. The handles 34 are rovided for manual operation of the switch. The center contacts 20 are formed integral with the member 35 which is'shaped to provide the pole 33, lat the other endV thereof from the center contact 20.

The other pole 32 comprises a right-angled portion of a conducting member 36 whic is connected directl to thebus-bar l1. The outgoing branch ine circuit is traced, therefore, from the bus-bar ll through themember 36, the switch-pole 32, the conducting portions of the switch 27 and the pole 33,

through the member`35 to thecenter vcontact 20, through a fuse which may be inserted inthe receptacle tothe shell contact 19 and thence out through the lead 23.

A panel board maybe constructed, therefor,l embodying as many of my interchan eable base sections as is desired. If itis esired to insert a switching means in some of the branch circuits this may be done by using a section as is illustrated in Figs.` 4, 5 and 6 for the branch line circuits in question, it being observed that the interchangeable and the standard portions of the base section are, in no wise, altered by the embodiment therein of switching means. It will, moreover, be

observed that the switching means have beenv so embodied in the base sections that a minimum number ofv parts varenecessitated and, therefore, the contact resistance occasioned by the use in this connection of a. comparatively complex switching device is elimmated.

While I have described but two embodiments ofmy invention it is apparent that many modifications therein may occur to those skilled in the art,`and I desire,`therefore, that my invention be limited only by the showing of the priory art or by the `scope of the appended claims.

' Having 'thus'described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: n l

1. In a panel board, a base section having buses arranged thereuponv in substantially parallel relation, `means for connecting the outside buses to branchlines comprising receptacles having shell and center contacts and switches, said center contactsy being formed integrall with rone polev ofy said switches yand said7 shellcontacts embodying outwardl l extending flanged portions, the other po e of said switches comprisin integral conducting members connecte to said outside buses, and means admitting of the connection. of the branch lines to the central bus.

- 2. In a panel board, a base section having bus bars arranged thereupon in substantially parallel relation, a switch positioned on said base over the outside bar, a receptacle connected to said switch, a branch circuit derived from said section and controlled by said switch, one line thereof bein ed to said receptacle and the other line thereof being connected directly to the central bar, and means formin a channel on said base to receive said lea connected directly to the central bar.

3. Inr a panel board, a base section havin bus bars arranged thereupon in substantia ly arallel relation, a switch positioned on said) base over the outside bar, a receptacle also positioned over said bar and connected to said switch, a branch circuit derived from said section and controlled by said switch, one line thereof being connected to said receptacle and the other line thereof bein connected directlyA to the central bar, an means forming a channel on said base extending between said switch and said receptacle to receive said lead connected directly to the central bar.

4. In a panel board, an insulating base, neutral and pressure bus-bars in substantially arallel relation thereupon, a fuse receptac el and a switch positioned on said base over one of said pressure bars, said switch controlling a circuit derived from said neutral bar and the bar associatedwi'th said switch and rece tacle, and means forming a channel exten in between said switch.L

and fuse to said neutra bar to receive a lead attached to said neutral bar.

connect- Y 5. In a panel board, an insulating base, l

neutral and pressure bus-bars in substantially parallel relation thereupon, a fuse receptacle and a switch positioned thereon and connected iny series with one another and one of them connected to a pressure bar, and both being over said pressure bar, said switch controlling arcircuit derived from said neutral 'bar and the'bar associated with said switch and receptacle, means forming a channel extendin between said switch and receptacle tov sai neutral bar to receive a lead attached to said neutral bar, and a binding means directly on said neutral bar to .receive'said lead.

' 6. lIn a anel board, an insulating base, neutral an pressure bus-bars in substantially parallel relation thereupon, a fuse receptacle and a switch ositioned onsaid base over said pressure ar, rsaid switch bein connected to said pressure bar and to said receptacle, a branch circuit derived from said base, one lead thereof to 'the load being connected to said receptacle whereby said circuit is controlled by the switch, and the return from the load being unfused and connected directly to the neutral bar, and means forming a channel in said base extending be tween said switch and said receptacle to receive said return lead.

7. A. panel board construction comprising an insulating base, two parallel pressure bus-bars mounted on the rear of said base, a neutral bus-bar intermediate and parallel to said pressure bus-bar mounted on the'rear of said base, two rows of branch circuit controlling devices mounted on the front side of said insulating base, substantially opposite and electrically connected with the pressure bus-bars, respectively, said circuit controlling devices being in rows both longitudinally and transversely of the panel, and wiring terminals for the neutral bus-bar mounted substantially at the intersection of a vertical line between the vertical rows with a horizontal line between `the horizontal rows, said panel being provided with passages leading horizontally from said neutral wiring terminals in both directions beytween said circuit controlling devices to the ed es of the board.

n witness whereohl have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. 

